Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-02-03
HOW MUSIC is MADE.
Examination of the Manuscripts by an
perienced SaIaried INSPECTOR

perienced SaIaried Inspector.
''The way to cook rabbit is to first
catch rabbit" etc., applies forcibly to
the initial process of producing mu-
steal composition in sheet form, and il
may be further added that manuscripts
worth publishing are as hard to secure
| as the traditional rabbit. AS all large
music publishing concerns are con-
stantly in receipt of manuscripts sent
| for examination and sale, it becomes
necessary to inspect each composition
| as soon as possible, otherwise they
would accumulate to such an extent
that separate examination would be
next to impossible.
For this purpose is employed a
thoroughly educated and practical mu-
stefan, one who not only performs at
sight, but who is also master of har-
mony and composition. After care
fully trying over each piece and noting
his opinion thereon, the result may be
the selection of one or two manuscripts
out of perhaps fifty, the balance being
returned to their respective authors,
marked rejected"
We will suppose that one of the
pieces recommended by the inspector is
song. The publisher now holds a
manuscript which in the opinion of his
inspector is worth publishing. that is,
it has some points of excellence that
might result in the piece becoming
popular. The next step is to read the
letter sent by the writer of the song,
and if the auther's demands are
deemed reasonable his terms are ac-
cepted and the song is put in hand"
not, however, before the publisher has
first satisfied himself that the words are
correct and suitable and that the title
is not already in use
The manuscript is then taken by the
engraver, who, seated at his table, be-
gins the work of transferring to metal
plates the "copy" before him. For
this purpose he employs hammer
and multitude of small steel dies,
each one of which represents charac-
ter of music, in fact, every thing from
a brace to double-bar, and from
grace note to a ''sixty-fourth," besides
rests, slurs. crescendos and full set
of the alphabet in various sizes, such
as agate. nonpareil. primer, ETC.
Upon the table before him rests a
slab OF iron about two feet square by
two inches thick. This is the anvil 60
on which is laid the metal plate afore-
mentioned. The latter is composed of
white metal, and is one-sixteenth of an
inch in thickness. The surface is high
ly polished and resembles FURNISHED
silver. With the aid of compasses,
rules and other peculiar tools the lines,
bars, etc, are laid out, after which the
engraver proceeds to fill in the music
and words, and thus each plate is
treated until the song is finished.
While the music engraver is busy
with his manuscript and dies, the title
engraver is not idle. By process ex-
actly similar to bank note or steel en-
craving this individual prepares the
title, which, as an obvious necessity,
must be entirely original in design,
both in lettering and ornamentation.
The metal plates used for titles are the
same as those used for music.
The music plates and title being |
finished, proofs are taken from them
and submitted to the music Inspector,
who carefully examines every page and |
makes the necessary corrections. after |
which they are returned to the en-
graver. The latter individual having
made the designated changes or addi-
tions, passes the plates to the superin-
tendent of the press-room, where they
are in turn given to the pressman.
The press used is the same as en-
ployed in steel plate printing, and can,
therefore only be worked by hand. The
process is necessarily slow and tedious.
but it is the only method by which
irst-class sheet music can be made.
After the music is printed the music
sheets, which are still wet. are hung
upon racks to dry. The drying pro-
cess consumes about two or three hours,
when they are taken down, folded, and
put in press where they are usually
eft over night. In the morning they
Ire taken out and we have before us
pile Of elegant plate music, 1.-The latest
song of the season." plate" editions
will always be preferred by all who ap-
)reciate music that can be easily read;
n fact, to those accustomed to plate
work type music seems like no
nusic.-Music0t Journal.